Category Archives: Numeracy for Year 3

These emergency lesson plans for Year 3 Numeracy are only to be used by supply teachers who are faced with no planning or easily accessible resources. Also to be used following the guidance notes here.

Block A – Counting, partitioning and calculating

Throwing dice, adding/subtracting numbers mentally and quickly, extend to throwing 2 dice, using digits to form one number, and throwing a third to form another number (e.g. a 6 and a 2 thrown = 62, then a 4 thrown, so 62 + or – 4 mentally) then writing them down, extend written to 2 and 3 digit numbers.

Invite children to call out numbers between 11 and 99/999 (2 or 3 digit depending on ability) and write on the board. Firstly get the children to read them out loud to a partner, then cover them up, you read them, and ask the children to write them in digits/letters, reveal the numbers and ask the children to order them, carry on partitioning them or rounding them, or repeat above activities with different sets of numbers.

Number story: tell children a simple story (child goes to the zoo for the day) and include prices and distances. Write 1- and 2-step word problems for children to calculate based on story.

Explain orally and written how you know 63 is in the 3 x table, how you know 102 follows on from 99 in the same table. Change table and problems.

Jumping to the right/left of a HTU grid: multiplying and dividing numbers by 10 and 100. Jump physically! Take hops on paper.

Block B – Securing number facts, understanding shape

Introduce a right angle, and ask children to collect right angles from around the classroom. Record findings in book, draw and label: cupboard door, 4 right angles etc. Then show angles greater/smaller than 90° and repeat as above.

Give number problems (division using known multiple facts) and work on estimating first, and then checking. Do same for add/subtraction problems.

Number story: tell children a simple story (child goes to the zoo for the day) and include prices and distances. Write 1- and 2-step word problems for children to calculate based on story.

Number machine: firstly give input and operation (6 goes in, machine *2, children to answer 12 is the output) change operation, then give input, and output, children to work through all 4 operations finding possible functions.

Block C – Handling data and measures

Telling the time… draw two clock faces on the board, draw hands on for one time, ask children to read it, and then invite one to draw hands 15/25 etc. minutes later. Children to draw simple clocks in own book and either write time by side, or draw another showing set interval.

Give children a question they have to answer by first collecting data, i.e. what is the most popular after-school club in this class? Once children have presented the information appropriately, then ask them to challenge each other with different questions based on the data, i.e. how many more children like wildlife club than choir?

Give children 5 (hypothetical if necessary) objects, ask them to record estimates of measurement… they are to choose how they would measure and what units to use, i.e. an apple could be weighed in grams, and measured in cm, a jug of lemonade in ml. Give distances too, your house to school, your desk to the teachers, London to Florida.

Decide a given, for example your school to Alton Towers is 26km, and then convert to metres. Their desk to your desk is 130cm, convert to metres/mm.

Block D – Calculating, measuring and understanding shape

Look at the times tables that they know, and work out the inverse, division tables, that they didn't know they knew! Give some division questions based on the tables they know.

Unit fractions of numbers and quantities… a half, a third, a tenth, depending on ability, of marbles in a bag (6, 10, 12, 16 marbles in total) are which colour? Draw own bags, and set questions for friends.

Multiple triangles, a multiple and two factors placed at each angle of a triangle, children to draw them, e.g. 12, 3 and 4, then explore number sentences which can be made from them (hint: there's 3*4 = 12, 4*3 = 12, and then the inverse of each.)

Draw simple bar charts on board, give children for example how many cars were red, and they have to fill in label on number of cars axis. Draw simple scales on board, temperature, kitchen scales, with pointers on and ask for reading. Children to draw own scales to questions friends.

Direct a friend, blindfold, from one side of the room to another, using vocab discussed (position, direction, movement language.)

Block E – Securing number facts, relationships and calculating

Unit fractions of quantities, drinking water bottles on Sports Day, 1l, 500ml, how much did I drink if I drank 1/2, 1/4, how much left if I drank 1/10?

Estimate proper fractions of shapes, numbers (pictorial, e.g. egg boxes, bars/pieces of chocolate.) Use squared paper in books to draw bars of chocolate with given number of pieces (6, 10, 12, 15, 16 for example) and shade in given fractions. Give 1/5, before giving 3/5 of same amount.

Ask all the children to work out the same simple sum, perhaps 13 * 5, and collate different methods used. Children to explore other questions using methods used by peers.

Give children first 3 or 4 numbers in sequences, they have to discover possible rule for sequence, then make up their own. Try +2, +5, -3, *2 +1.

Class trip to the zoo story, +, -, * and / by two digit numbers: 120 slices of pizza, how many each (look at remainders in context), 24 tickets to buy at £3.50 each (look at different methods the children come up with), two buses, 53 on one, 37 on the other, how many altogether etc.